


a bright and cloudy dawn

by greenwithirony



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Golden Deer Route Spoilers, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, verdant wind, with a strong hint of I could definitely fall in love with you
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-05
Updated: 2020-01-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:40:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22124221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greenwithirony/pseuds/greenwithirony
Summary: Claude wasn’t sure if the world was ever going to make sense. Perhaps, if he reshaped it into a kinder place, it finally would.Edelgard had decided long ago that a world with so much suffering was senseless. But, she was never going to give up on making it better.
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg & Claude von Riegan, Edelgard von Hresvelg/Claude von Riegan, Ferdinand von Aegir/Hubert von Vestra, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 118





	1. Chapter 1

It was hard to believe the war was really over.  
  
As Claude picked his way down the cobbled streets of Derdriu, he took a moment to be thankful the fighting had never made it here. That didn’t mean the city was entirely unaffected, of course. The market he had just passed had a rather meager selection of fruits and vegetables and hardly any delicacies, and many of the people he’d seen seemed guarded and weary. Certainly, if there hadn’t been a war, he would not be going to visit Edelgard, Hubert, and Ferdinand, currently under house arrest.  
  
It had been a bit difficult to convince Judith, Hilda, Leonie, and Lorenz in particular that house arrest was the right decision. They were worried that he was being overly lenient and greatly underestimating how much of a threat Edelgard and her two closest confidants could still pose, if they were to escape.  
  
Claude acknowledged their concerns, but thought escape was very unlikely. Derdriu was an easily defendable and out of the way location where almost nobody sympathized with the former empire, and besides, all three of them had sustained injuries in the battle at Enbarr. They likely weren’t going anywhere anytime soon.  
  
The truth was, even after all the violence he had witnessed, Claude could simply not stomach locking up three former… acquaintances in some dark cell. He’d almost thought of them as friends, but they hadn’t ever been close enough at the academy for that.  
  
However, many of those who were actually close to Edelgard had still been completely surprised by her declaration of war against the church. Even though Claude was already aware Edelgard disagreed with the church and it was very obvious she was hiding something, or perhaps several somethings, he had not seen it coming at all. Now that he and Byleth had succeeded in finding Rhea and questioning her, Claude only had more questions. It made him wonder how much Edelgard knew. She was certainly not the type of person to make thoughtless decisions with no regard for the consequences, so she must know something.  
  
Claude also couldn’t stop thinking about what Edelgard had said about how he didn’t have sufficient knowledge of Fódlan’s suffering. He’d been turning it over in his head, wondering if there was something that he was missing, or if it was something that he did, in fact, know, that Edelgard just didn’t know that he knew.  
  
In any case, attempting to get answers was the primary reason Claude was going to talk to her, Hubert, and Ferdinand. He would have liked to pretend it was purely out of the goodness of his heart, to check up on them and see how they were faring, both physically and mentally, and while that was certainly a secondary purpose to his visit, it was mostly his insatiable curiosity that had led him here.  
  
As he stepped up to the small house, with few windows and a high fence all the way around it, he wondered if they were going to be at all willing to talk to him.  
  
Claude rested his hand against the bars of the fence and waved to the closest guard, who walked over to open the gate. “Good afternoon.”  
  
“Good afternoon, Duke Riegan.” The guard shut and relocked the gate behind him.  
  
“How are they?”  
  
The guard shrugged. “They’ve been pretty quiet. The doctor just left and said their injuries have been healing well so far.”  
  
Claude nodded. “Well, that’s good. Can I go in right now?”  
  
“Yes, that should be fine.” The guard knocked on the door, a trifle forcefully. “Duke Claude von Riegan is here to visit.”  
  
Through the door, a slightly muffled, “You may enter,” was still clearly distinguishable as Edelgard’s voice.  
  
The guard unbolted and unlatched the door, and Claude stepped inside.  
  
The front door lead right into the house’s living room, which consisted of a couch, a small table, and two armchairs facing the fireplace, and a kitchen attached at the back of the room. Two closed doors opposite the entrance presumably lead to the bedrooms.  
  
Edelgard was sitting on the couch with a book in her lap, looking up at Claude. She looked strange without her gold horns and armor, instead wearing a simple black dress and a short red cape clasped at the throat. Her only visible injury was a bandage on her cheek.  
  
“Hello, Claude.”  
  
“Hello, Edelgard. May I sit here?” Claude gestured at one of the chairs.  
  
Edelgard raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think I can refuse, considering I’m your prisoner.”  
  
Claude chuckled awkwardly. Edelgard’s sense of humor was very hard to pin down at times, so while it seemed like she was joking, he wasn’t certain. “If you really didn’t want me here, I would leave.” He looked around as he turned the chair towards the couch and sat down. “Where are Hubert and Ferdinand?”

“In their room. Doing whatever it is they do in there,” Edelgard said ominously.  
  
Claude decided he didn’t want to know. “How are you?”  
  
Edelgard shrugged. “Well enough, I suppose. How are you?”  
  
“Quite well,” Claude said with a slight grin. “I’m very glad this war is over with.”  
  
Edelgard’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Did you find Rhea?”  
  
“Yes, we did, after searching the entire palace.” Claude was grateful that Edelgard had brought her up so he didn’t have to. “She had some interesting things to say.”  
  
“Oh?” Edelgard closed her book and set it on the table.  
  
“A lot of it had to do with Byleth, and Rhea almost certainly wouldn’t have said anything without them there.”  
  
Edelgard folded her gloved hands in her lap. “Are you going to tell me, or not?”  
  
“Well, this is sensitive information I don’t want getting out to the masses. I would hate to cause an uproar right after things have just settled down.”  
  
“I can assure you, I am very good at keeping secrets.”  
  
Claude smiled. “I don’t doubt that, Flame Emperor. Very well then.”  
  
Edelgard raised her eyebrows expectantly.  
  
Claude leaned forward in his seat. “Would it surprise you to learn that Rhea is actually Seiros, and is a thousand years old?”  
  
“No.” Was Edelgard smirking? “I knew that already.”  
  
Claude leaned back and laced his fingers together. How interesting. “How did you know?”  
  
“Rhea, or Seiros at the time, established the Adrestian Empire and crowned the first emperor. Knowledge about her has been passed down through the imperial family.”  
  
“What else do you know, then?”  
  
Edelgard moved to cross her arms over her chest, then winced slightly and let them fall back into her lap. “Really, Claude? You tell me one thing and then turn the tables on me.”  
  
He shrugged. “The war is over. I don’t see why we can’t be candid with one another now.”  
  
She pursed her lips and stared at a spot somewhere above Claude’s head. “I suppose so.” She took a deep breath. “The Hero’s Relics were not a gift from the goddess, to be used to restore peace to the world. They were created by people who used them to kill the goddess, and Seiros collected them after killing the 10 Elites. She then convinced everyone to turn against Nemesis and kill him as well. Seiros then founded the church and began building what she considered a perfect, controlled world for the sake of the goddess Sothis, who she has been attempting to resurrect ever since.”  
  
Claude’s eyes narrowed. “That’s not quite what Rhea said happened.”  
  
“How can you know she’s telling the truth?”  
  
“How can you know previous emperors were telling the truth, and that the story was passed down faithfully?”  
  
Edelgard sighed and clenched one hand into a fist. “I can’t know that for sure, unfortunately. What exactly did Rhea tell you?”  
  
“She said that Sothis and her children were murdered by Nemesis and the 10 Elites, and Rhea simply enacted revenge.”  
  
Edelgard’s brow crinkled. “Sothis’s children… How is it possible for a goddess to have children?”  
  
“Easy, if Sothis wasn’t really a goddess.” Claude tapped a finger against his chin. “That’s just speculation, though. I really have no idea. Rhea said she’s the last of the goddess’s children, and it certainly is rather god-like to live for a thousand years.”  
  
“Claude…” Edelgard began slowly, “If I remember correctly, back at the academy, you mentioned a drawing of the Immaculate One you found that Seteth confiscated.”  
  
Claude nodded. “Yes, I remember that clearly. I didn’t exactly mention it, though. You were skulking around the library and eavesdropping and then confronted me about it afterwards.”  
  
“Oh, is that how that went? Silly me. In any case, have you learned anything else about the Immaculate One?”  
  
Claude shook his head. “Unfortunately, no.”  
  
“Rhea is the Immaculate One. So I would absolutely believe that she’s one of the goddess’s children. I just didn't realize that there were any others,” she added more quietly.   
  
“Ohhh.” Claude put his hand in his chin. “I see.” He ran the same hand through his hair. “Yeah, that kinda makes sense. I’ve been wondering about Seteth and Flayn too. It’s very rare to be born with a major crest, which they both have, and they’re so close to Rhea…”  
  
Edelgard nodded. “Yes, it would make sense to me if they were both also children of the goddess.”  
  
“Which would mean that Rhea lied about being the last one.”  
  
“It wouldn’t surprise me if she lied to protect them.” Edelgard tapped a finger against her arm. “Not that this isn’t interesting, but I don’t think, out of the issues at hand, that it’s most important to figure out who is or isn’t a child of the goddess. Did Rhea say anything to you about the Hero’s Relics?”  
  
Claude scratched the back of his head. “Yes. She did.”  
  
“You seem reluctant to tell me.”  
  
“A little. It’s not a fun story. Rhea said Nemesis and his accomplices made them out of the remains of Sothis’s children.”  
  
“Is that all?”  
  
“No. The 10 Elites stole the blood of Sothis's children for their crests, and Nemesis stole Sothis’s blood to give himself the Crest of Flames.”  
  
Edelgard’s eyes widened. She looked like she’d seen a ghost. “Are you sure about that?”  
  
“Yes.” So far, Edelgard had taken all of this more or less in stride, but now she actually seemed shaken. “You know something about this.”  
  
“I might. Did Rhea explain why Byleth has the Crest of Flames?”  
  
“She did, in fact. I’m surprised she explained while I was in earshot. She might not be thinking clearly after all that time in confinement.”  
  
“Out with it, Claude.”  
  
Edelgard really was shaken by this. “You’re absolutely correct that Rhea has been trying to resurrect Sothis, her mother, ever since she died. Byleth was the latest experiment. Sothis’s heart, the crest stone for the Crest of Flames, is implanted in Byleth’s heart.”  
  
“I knew Rhea was doing crest experiments, but…” Edelgard seemed to be almost talking to herself. “The question is, did they not know? Or did they just not tell me?”  
  
“Who is “they”?”  
  
Edelgard looked directly into Claude’s eyes, and he was startled by the intensity of her gaze. “The war is not over, Claude.”  
  
“What?”  
  
“The war is not over. Fódlan’s greatest enemies still live. Did Rhea say anything else about Nemesis’s accomplices?”  
  
“No, she didn’t.” Claude’s heartrate started to pick up. This was not exactly the news he wanted to hear.  
  
Edelgard stood up and began pacing. “But, she said they made the Hero’s Relics?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“Did you ever wonder where my relic came from? The axe Aymr?”  
  
“…Yes.” He’d noticed the crest stone in Edelgard’s axe was definitely not the Crest of Seiros, but hadn’t been able to get a good look at it to discern anything further.  
  
“They made it for me. I think they made all the other relics too. It makes sense.” Edelgard was still pacing, anxiously tapping her hands against her thighs. “Infuriating, how they never told me anything. Then again, I never told them anything either…”  
  
“So, just like us, up until this moment?” Claude joked weakly.  
  
Edelgard stopped and glared at him. “No, nothing like us. I want these people dead.”  
  
“You still haven’t told me who they are.” Claude prodded gently. He had a suspicion, certainly. The strange mages that had fought with the empire, that frequently used crest stone beasts, and that Lysithea said looked like the ones that had experimented on her, so many years ago, would certainly fit with what had been said so far.  
  
Edelgard’s pacing had left her behind the couch, which she now leaned against. “Hubert calls them “those who slither in the dark.” It’s long-winded, but rather accurate. They’re responsible for the Tragedy of Duscur, and the Insurrection of the Seven and the subsequent infiltration of the empire, and…” she grimaced, “for doing crest experiments on Lysithea, and others, among other things.”   
  
Claude sucked in a breath. “How has such an organization escaped the world’s notice?”  
  
“They’re very crafty, but they haven’t completely escaped notice. Thales, Solon, and Kronya are or were members.”  
  
“I see.” Claude could still feel his heart thundering in his chest as his mind whirled, trying to make sense of it all. He didn’t think, at this point, that Edelgard had any reason to lie, and this did certainly explain a lot, but, “Why did you work with them, then?”  
  
Edelgard’s eyes narrowed. “That’s very complicated. I mentioned they infiltrated the empire, did I not? They happened to have a common enemy of the church, although for entirely the wrong reasons, and as they were already attempting to overthrow the church, I worked with them to further my own goals. I assure you I hated every second of it and planned to destroy them the moment they were no longer useful to me.”  
  
“That sounds like a dangerous game.”  
  
Edelgard was silent as she stared at him. Her eyes were warning Claude that if he pressed any further, he’d face her ensuing anger. Claude wasn’t sure he agreed with Edelgard’s decisions, but he didn’t have all the facts, and since she didn’t seem keen to explain herself in any more detail, he’d just have to let this go for now.  
  
Claude took a deep breath. “How do we destroy them, then?”  
  
“We didn’t know their location until very recently, when they unleashed the javelins on Fort Merceus.”  
  
Claude gasped. “So that was them as well?” He wasn’t sure why this was the deed that surprised him so much, out of everything they’d done. Perhaps because it was such a ridiculous display of raw power that he’d actually seen in person.  
  
“Yes. Hubert located their base using the magical signatures from the javelins. We imagined that you would probably have some questions for us that would lead you here, and when you did visit, Hubert actually suggested that I tell you all of this, and ask for your help. It is very rare that Hubert asks for help, so that should give you an idea of how serious this is.”  
  
“Yes, I must admit I’m a little surprised that this was Hubert’s idea. Was it just a coincidence that you were the only one out here to greet me?”  
  
Edelgard smiled craftily. “No, that was planned. We figured you’d be more likely to talk if it was just me.”  
  
Claude sighed. “And they call me a schemer.”  
  
“Indeed. We are just as bad as you are, if not worse.” Edelgard walked back around the couch and sat down again. “Can you come back tomorrow, by any chance, so the four of us can scheme some more? I’d imagine it would be helpful if we could formulate a plan now, so that you can tell your allies what’s going to happen.” Edelgard frowned. “I hope you were already planning on involving everyone. I hate to endanger more people, but we cannot underestimate these foes.”  
  
“Don’t worry. After everything I’ve heard and seen about these slitherers, I’m certainly not going to underestimate them.” Claude tilted his head to the side. “Wait, are you planning on coming?”  
  
“Of course. I wouldn’t ask anyone to do anything I’m not willing to do myself.”  
  
“You’re still injured though.”  
  
Edelgard glared at him again, but it had no real bite this time. “I’ll be fine. For better or worse, it’ll probably be a couple weeks before you’ve gathered your allies, and then it’ll take a few days to march to Shambhala, and by then I’ll be even more fine.”  
  
Shambhala must be the name of their base. Claude sighed. “You realize you’re still technically under arrest, right?”  
  
Edelgard just looked at him, eyebrows raised.  
  
“Hubert and Ferdinand are going to want to come too, aren’t they.”  
  
Edelgard smiled at him. She looked very amused.  
  
Claude sighed again and pinched the bridge of his nose. “It would be too much of a political nightmare to release you all so soon, so I suppose we can sneak you out of here without word getting out.”  
  
Edelgard nodded, still smiling. “That’s a wonderful idea.” She stood and bowed dramatically. “I am looking forward to fighting by your side, Claude von Riegan.”  
  
Claude stood and mirrored her, bowing even more deeply so as not to be outdone. “Likewise, Edelgard.”  
  
Just what was he getting himself into this time?  
  


* * *

  
It was both a curse and a blessing that Edelgard was in house arrest with Hubert and Ferdinand instead of alone.  
  
A curse, because sometimes she’d walk into the living room and there they’d be on the couch with their mouths locked together like they didn’t have a separate bedroom.  
  
A blessing, because it meant she had two of her closest friends to talk to.  
  
This evening, Hubert and Ferdinand were sitting on the couch, but thankfully they were both reading. Edelgard plopped down into the chair Claude had been sitting in earlier. “I told him,” she declared.  
  
Hubert looked up and smiled. Someone who didn’t know him might say that he smiled wickedly, but that was just how his face always looked. “Excellent. What did he say?”  
  
“He agreed quite readily to go to Shambhala with us, and he’s coming back tomorrow for us to discuss details.”  
  
Ferdinand grinned. “Oh, good, he’s letting us come! Does that mean we’re being released early?”  
  
Edelgard laughed. “No. That would be, and I quote “too much of a political nightmare,” so he’s sneaking us out.”  
  
Ferdinand’s brows furrowed. “That… certainly sounds exciting.”  
  
“Everything about this is exciting,” Hubert said in a very flat voice. “I will wait until the meeting tomorrow to truly get my hopes up, but it’s a great relief that Claude is willing to assist us.”  
  
“Indeed, it is. That reminds me…” Edelgard tapped a finger against the arm of her chair. “Hubert, before the final battle in Enbarr, when I asked what would happen if we lost, you said you had a plan and that I shouldn’t worry about it. Normally I would not have accepted that, but I was too distracted at the time to press you any further.”  
  
Ferdinand raised an eyebrow and shot Hubert a knowing look.  
  
Hubert shifted uncomfortably. “In preparation for the possibility of our deaths, I wrote a letter to Claude briefly explaining the threat those who slither in the dark pose to the world and included Shambhala‘s location, asking him to eradicate them on our behalf. Since we survived, the messenger I left the letter with must not have delivered it.”  
  
Edelgard smiled. “You continue to surprise me, Hubert, in the best way. However, I must ask why you didn’t tell me you were writing this letter. I would have agreed it was a good idea.”  
  
“Well…” Hubert trailed off.  
  
“He could hardly bear to consider the possibility that we would all die.” Ferdinand piped up. “I barely managed to get him to talk to me about it.”  
  
Hubert glared at Ferdinand. “Yes. Precisely. I did not wish to discuss such things with you when I so fervently hoped we would still succeed.” He inclined his head towards Edelgard. “I hope you will not hold this against me.”  
  
Edelgard smiled softly. “Of course not. I completely understand. The thought of losing either of you pains me greatly.”  
  
Ferdinand made a grand show of wiping a tiny tear away from his eye. “I second that. You both are very dear to me.” He spread his arms slightly and beamed at both of them. “Now, may we have a group hug? To put the cherry on top of this touching moment?”  
  
Edelgard and Hubert shared a look.  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“If you insist.”  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forget political nightmares, sorting through this game's lore is kind of a nightmare. 
> 
> If there's anybody who was really looking forward to reading about Edelgard and Claude fighting twsitd together, I'm sorry, because I skipped right over that. I can't imagine it happening all that differently from canon, and I'm really just here for witty dialogue, so that's what you're getting lol


	2. Chapter 2

“Do you think we actually get to enjoy the war being over now? You don’t have any more revelations for me?”  
  
Edelgard gave Claude a look over her teacup. “Those are two different questions. I certainly believe the war is over now.”  
  
Claude chuckled as he raised his own teacup to his lips. “Fair enough.”   
  
After defeating those who slither in the dark, Claude had invited the former Golden Deer and Edelgard, Hubert, and Ferdinand over to the Riegan estate for a celebration that had occurred last evening. It had been wonderful to see everyone again somewhere that wasn’t a battlefield, even if Edelgard had been concerned if it was wise for her, Hubert, and Ferdinand to be there when they were still supposed to be on house arrest. Claude had assured her it was fine. As nobody was currently visiting on business, the only other people at the estate were a few staff that hadn’t ever seen Edelgard and her confidants before and had no way of knowing who they were, as long as they dressed like they were from the former Alliance. So, for once, Edelgard had worn something that wasn’t red.   
  
Edelgard took another sip of her tea and looked around the Riegan estate gardens, bathed in the mid-morning sun. Claude had invited her to tea last evening, and while so far their conversation had been pleasant and unimportant, knowing Claude, she would be surprised if he had no ulterior motive.   
  
A small brown bird sitting in a flowered tree caught her attention, similar to many she’d seen back at the academy.   
  
Edelgard looked back at Claude. “The mere act of sitting in a garden and drinking tea is probably always going to remind me of the academy now,” she said wistfully.   
  
“I thought you disliked the academy.”  
  
“I disliked the institution. I quite like our former classmates.”   
  
“I see.”   
  
Edelgard fixed him with a sharp look. “Is there something surprising about that?”  
  
Claude shrugged. “No, not really. I guess I’m just a little surprised that you’re being so sincere with me.”  
  
Edelgard sighed. “I suppose I’m not the best at being sincere, am I?” She examined the nearby rosebushes for a moment before looking back at Claude. “In an effort to remedy that, I’d like to express my deepest gratitude that you opted to put Hubert, Ferdinand, and I under house arrest instead of throwing us in a cell somewhere. The world needs more of your kindness.”  
  
Claude smiled and put a hand to his chest. “Thank you. I’m very glad that worked out the way it did.” He paused for a moment. “You know, the world could use more people like you, too, who are willing to put everyone else’s best interests before their own.”  
  
Edelgard inclined her head and took another sip of tea. She had only done what anyone else who had been through such tragedy would have done.  
  
Claude cleared his throat. “Lorenz also thinks very highly of you.”  
  
“Does he now?”   
  
“Yes, he does.” Claude nodded emphatically. “He admires the way you question things most people never think twice about, and the way you always follow through on your word.”  
  
Edelgard sighed. This level of praise all at once was only confirming her suspicions. “Claude, I appreciate the flattery, but I suspect it has a purpose. Do you want something from me?”  
  
Claude smiled sheepishly. “Yes. I’d like you to help me lead the United Fódlan.”   
  
Edelgard set her teacup down with a clatter. “What?”  
  
“I want your help leading Fódlan.”   
  
“Why? Why would you jeopardize your position even further just for the sake of my help?”   
  
Claude frowned. “What do you mean?”  
  
“You’re already taking a risk by leaving me alive. There may be those still loyal to the empire who may yet rebel, shattering this newfound peace before it begins, and you would dare to put me back in a position of some authority that may further aggravate the possibility of such a rebellion?” Edelgard made a conscious effort to keep from raising her voice.  
  
“On the contrary.” Claude gestured with one hand. “If we present a united front and make it clear we’re working together and that your goals will be realized, those loyal to you will have no reason to rebel. Your main objective was to reform the church, yes?”  
  
“Reform is putting it lightly, and I have many other objectives that don’t directly concern the church.”   
  
Claude shrugged. “Well, in any case, as long as you didn’t make any specific and public promises on a course of action that I disagree with, we should be fine.”  
  
Edelgard sighed. “The thing is, much of what I had planned will definitely make the nobility and the former empire nobles in particular very angry. If I was still the emperor, however, they would be more likely to back down without a fight. Even though relations between the empire and the church have been tense for the last hundred years or so, many nobles still believe in the divine right to rule, or in the right of anyone with a crest to rule. Very similar concepts.” Edelgard made no attempt to hide the bitterness in her tone.  
  
“What did you have planned?”  
  
“The most straightforward of my plans is giving Brigid back their independence. That particular objective is 450 years overdue and will only be tricky because of the former empire nobles who have gotten into the habit of taking whatever resources from Brigid they want at no cost.”   
  
Claude was nodding as she spoke.   
  
“You’re already aware of the issues with the church,” Edelgard continued, “which are related to the issues with the nobility.”   
  
“What are the issues with the nobility?”  
  
“Well, that they exist, for one thing.”  
  
Claude burst out laughing. “Edelgard, I hate to break it to you, but…”  
  
Edelgard waved her hand dismissively. “Please, I’m well aware that I am from one of the oldest and wealthiest noble houses. The irony is not lost on me.” She tapped a finger on the table. “My first course of action was removing all the incompetent nobles from the empire’s government, and I only got around to appointing replacements for most of them. The issue, moving forward, is that I do not want whoever is primarily in charge to appoint everybody who is secondarily in charge, because once we are gone everything will eventually go back to the way it was, because the nobility are used to simultaneously protecting each other’s right to power while attempting to gain more for themselves.”   
  
“I must say I agree. What’s your plan then?”   
  
“I’m not entirely sure. Perhaps some sort of council of representatives from each region of Fódlan can appoint these officials.” Edelgard continued drumming her fingers on the table. “One important factor, as Ferdinand pointed out, is that without free education, the common people will never have a chance of becoming qualified for the positions historically held by nobility, so that is a must.”   
  
Claude grinned. “And, unfortunately, the money for anything free must come from somewhere, and there’s nothing rich nobility hates more than taxes. You really do plan to piss them off at every turn, don’t you?”   
  
Edelgard found herself smiling back. “Of course.”  
  
Claude ran a hand through his hair. “I can’t believe we didn’t talk to each other sooner. Things could’ve gone very differently.”   
  
Edelgard’s smile fell. She sighed. “Would you really have been willing to drop everything and go to war against the church with me?”  
  
“I… no.” Claude paused for a moment. “But you could’ve done something different. Together, perhaps we could’ve dismantled the church from the inside. Or if a war was necessary, which sometimes unfortunately it is for drastic change on this level, if we’d planned for it together it could’ve gone a lot faster.”   
  
Edelgard could feel the beginning pangs of a headache making themselves known. Claude was speculating so casually on how things could have worked out more favorably, when for her all such speculation did was remind her how limited her options had been. She inhaled sharply through her nose. “Those who slither in the dark’s consistent presence in my life didn’t allow for such things.” Edelgard couldn’t meet Claude’s eyes. Even worse than remembering how her hands had been tied was the was the possibility that Claude was right, that there was a better way that she hadn’t been smart enough or strong enough to see.  
  
The distress Edelgard felt was mirrored on Claude’s face. “I’m sorry. I got carried away,” he said softly.   
  
Edelgard was well aware this was the first time she’d stated directly that those who slither in the dark had impacted her personally. Last time she’d discussed them with Claude, she’d deliberately left that out. She despised talking about it, but Claude was smart, and he knew about Lysithea, so it was probably only a matter of time before he figured it out. To add to the pile of evidence, at the recent battle, before Thales died, he had bemoaned that his greatest creation had been turned against him, and if Claude had heard that, it was even more likely that he already knew.   
  
“I’m not in the mood to discuss this any further.” Edelgard rubbed her temple with one gloved hand. “Can we speak of inconsequential matters for the rest of today?”   
  
“Yes, of course.”   
  
For all that Claude needled her at times, Edelgard was very grateful for his patience when she felt the need to put up a wall. His understanding nature made it very likely that those walls would only be temporary.   
  


* * *

  
Claude poked his head into the now rather familiar living room of the small house. “Hello, Ferdinand. Hubert. Is Edelgard here?”  
  
Ferdinand looked up from his writing. “Claude! Fancy seeing you here. Yes, she’s in her room.”  
  
“Please knock before entering,” Hubert added, turning a page of his book.  
  
“Of course, of course.” The farther door leading off of the living room was open, and the nearer one was closed. Claude figured the nearer must be Edelgard’s. He knocked on the door. “Edelgard? It’s Claude. Are you available right now?”  
  
There was the sound of shuffling paper before Edelgard opened the door. Claude caught a glimpse of what looked to be a black and white drawing of a forest on her desk before she closed it behind her.   
  
“Do you want something?” Edelgard asked.   
  
“I guess? I’d just like to talk.”  
  
“Is this about your offer from last time?”  
  
She cut right to the chase, didn’t she. “…Yes.” Claude admitted.   
  
“I’m sure you’ve thought of loads of lovely, persuasive things to say. We can talk outside, if you’d like. There’s a couple chairs and a table that are certainly functional.”  
  
“Lead the way.” The last time they’d spoken, Claude had certainly implied that he would be coming again, and it seemed Edelgard had been expecting him.   
  
Around the back of the house, nestled in between several bushes and the tall fence surrounding the property, were the promised rickety chairs and wooden table.   
  
They sat down, and Edelgard rested her elbows on the table and steepled her fingers. “Alright, let’s hear it. Last time you got me talking about my plans, and never really explained why you want my help.”  
  
“It sounds like you’ve been thinking about this.”  
  
Edelgard nodded. “I have.”   
  
Claude took a deep breath. “Well, I want the assistance of as many capable and trustworthy people as possible. You have a different perspective on Fódlan than I do, and know much more about certain parts of it. Alone, one person inevitably will have blind spots that they don’t notice. Multiple people can point out the gaps in each other’s knowledge, and they’ll all be stronger for it.”  
  
“That’s all well and good, but you don’t need me. You have plenty of other allies.”   
  
Claude nodded. “You’re right, I don’t need you. But you’re a skilled leader, and you have great ambitions for the world, and I would hate to see that go to waste.”   
  
Edelgard looked at him for a moment. “What are _your_ ambitions, Claude? Or your dream, as you once put it.”  
  
“It’s quite simple, really.” Claude rubbed the back of his neck. He had anticipated Edelgard might have this question. “I want people from all over the world to understand one another as best they can, and live together in peace. No more wars, no more conquests.” He laughed. “I know it’s not going to be easy. It sounds a little silly when I put it out there like that.”  
  
Edelgard shook her head. “It’s not silly. I’d like to see that as well.”  
  
“Will you help me, then?”  
  
Edelgard was silent for a long moment. “Yes, I’d like to. Even if I still don’t understand why you have such faith in me.”  
  
Claude raised an eyebrow. “So, in addition to not trusting others easily, you don’t believe it when other people trust you?”  
  
“Something like that,” Edelgard admitted. “Ferdinand was extremely frustrated with me at first for that reason.”  
  
Claude chuckled. “I’d imagine.” His gaze drifted off into the bushes. He’d been wondering, since their last meeting, if it would be beneficial for him to tell Edelgard more about who he was. It would certainly explain the underlying motivation behind his dream, and explain why it was so important to him to recruit others to look after Fódlan.   
  
Edelgard was very good at keeping her own secrets, and he was relatively certain she would treat his with the same respect. Although, it wouldn’t be too long before he’d leave for Almyra, and then this would no longer need to be a secret. If Claude was being honest with himself, it would also be kind of a relief for someone in Fódlan to finally know. It had been laughably easy to hide considering almost nobody in Fódlan really knew anything about Almyra, and that in and of itself was extremely depressing.   
  
Claude looked back at Edelgard, who appeared to have been watching him.   
  
“You’re back.” She smiled. “You seemed very deep in thought.”  
  
“I was.” He took a deep breath. “The thing is, I don’t know Fódlan all that well. I didn’t grow up here.”  
  
Edelgard raised an eyebrow. “Does this have to do with the way you appeared out of nowhere as Duke Riegan’s heir?”  
  
Claude chuckled. “Yes, precisely.” He rested his forearms on the table and leaned forward conspiratively. “Now, unfortunately, you can’t tell anyone what I’m about to tell you just yet, because I would still like to hold some authority in Fódlan for a bit longer.”  
  
Edelgard nodded, brows furrowed. Claude could practically see the gears turning as she tried to figure out this mystery before he gave it away.   
  
He didn’t keep her waiting. “I’m from Almyra.”   
  
Edelgard nodded again. “I see.” She didn’t seem all that surprised. Maybe she was just hiding it very well. Claude could probably change that.   
  
“I’m the crown prince of Almyra, actually.”   
  
Ah, there we go. Edelgard’s eyes widened slightly and her mouth opened in the smallest of “o”s as she stared at him. “So, are you really the former Duke Riegan’s heir?”  
  
“Yes, I am. My mother is his daughter, and my father is Almyra’s king.”   
  
“What an awful lot of responsibility.”  
  
Claude chuckled. “Indeed. Do you see now why I would so greatly appreciate your assistance?”  
  
“Yes, I do.” She sighed and sat back in her chair.   
  
Claude frowned. “Is something wrong?”  
  
Edelgard was looking off into the bushes. “You just may not be able to count on me being here, long term,” she said quietly.  
  
“Oh, are you leaving too?” There would be a certain amount of irony in that.  
  
“…No. I’m not leaving.”  
  
“What is it then, Edelgard?” A hint of worry had wormed its way into Claude’s voice.   
  
She looked him in the eye. “There’s a very good chance I’m going to die young, Claude.”   
  
Oh. Claude’s gaze shot to her white hair. He’d suspected, with all this talk of those who slither in the dark, that Edelgard had been experimented on too, but somehow, it hadn’t occurred to him that it would negatively affect her the way it had affected Lysithea. Edelgard just looked so healthy. The gash on her cheek had completely healed within a couple weeks of Claude’s first visit, leaving behind only a thin scar, and she’d always been strong and sturdily built, for as long as Claude had known her.   
  
And yet. She sounded like she’d known for a while that she wouldn’t live as long as she should, and had more or less accepted it.   
  
“What’s your second crest?” Claude asked softly. He should probably make sure his assumption that she had also been experimented on was correct, although which crest it was didn’t matter so much.   
  
Edelgard smiled sadly and raised one gloved hand. In her palm, an intricate, swirling crest flickered to life. The Crest of Flames.   
  
Claude gaped at it for a moment. Perhaps he should retract what he’d just thought about the particular crest not mattering. He’d made sure to get a closer look at Aymr before the battle against the slitherers, and he’d noticed it had the Crest of the Beast, which he’d then logically assumed was Edelgard’s second crest. But this… also made sense, in a twisted way. Those who slither in the dark must’ve wanted Edelgard to be Nemesis 2.0, to finish the job he started.   
  
“I…” Claude swallowed. He could feel that he was still slightly in denial. “…Linhardt and Hanneman have been researching ways to help Lysithea. Ways to remove a crest. I’m sure they can help you too.”  
  
“Perhaps.” Edelgard sighed. “Hubert has also put a significant amount of time into such research.” She tapped her fingers against the table. “The issue, or one of many issues I suppose, is that those who slither in the dark would give me more or less monthly medical checkups, and I was always alone with them, and they often put me to sleep for part of it, so I’m not sure what they did. That’s mostly what Hubert and Ferdinand and I have been trying to figure out.”   
  
Claude nodded slowly. Edelgard was talking about all of this so matter of factly, even though he knew it must hurt. He wanted, so desperately, to reach across the table and hold her hand, to gather her up in his arms and never let go, but he wasn’t sure how Edelgard would feel about either of those gestures. Instead, he tried to offer some verbal reassurances, for both their sakes. “Like I said, Hanneman and Linhardt certainly know what they’re doing. We will figure this out.”  
  
Edelgard put on a smile. “I certainly hope so.”   
  
She didn’t seem all that hopeful. Claude swallowed thickly. He couldn’t stand this.   
  
“Can I give you a hug?” he asked quietly, desperately.   
  
This was the second openly surprised expression he’d gotten out of Edelgard in one conversation. It might be a new record. Unfortunately, surprise and no other reaction wasn’t exactly a good sign. Claude could remember several instances of Edelgard flinching away from casual touch back in their academy days, and now he had a pretty good idea as to why. He was already leaning away, an apology forming on his lips, when Edelgard cut him off. “Yes. I’d like that.”   
  
Well. This was probably a rather significant sign that she trusted him. Claude’s chest felt tight as he stood up and walked around the table. Edelgard stood up as well and met him halfway as he wrapped his arms around her.   
  
Claude closed his eyes. Edelgard’s head fit so nicely against his shoulder. He felt a tear run down his cheek, and instead of ending this moment prematurely to brush it away, he cracked open an eye and watched it fall into her white hair.  
  



	3. Chapter 3

  
“Unfortunately, I don’t think we can fully open the border for trading between Fódlan and Almyra and expect there to be no violence. I’m particularly worried about Almyran merchants being harassed by xenophobic Fódlaners if they travel openly as Almyrans, instead of disguising themselves as has become the norm.”  
  
Edelgard set down her quill and looked up at Claude, who was sitting next to her at the large desk in the office of Duke Riegan. The desk was not designed for two people by any means, but it was big enough that they were making it work. “Do you have any ideas for what we can do, then?”  
  
“Yes? I don’t know if this will work as well in practice as it works in my head, though.”  
  
“Well, let’s hear it.”  
  
“I’m thinking of having a merchant’s fair of sorts, in one centralized location on the border.”  
  
“Hmmm. That’s certainly an interesting idea. How will we prevent tensions at an event like that?”  
  
“I’m still thinking about that. I think there’s more likely to be issues with a bunch of merchants traveling back and forth across the border on their own, so instead this is an event with a lot of merchants in one place, and it can be a celebratory kind of thing- we’re celebrating the border being opened. People love parties, and it’ll provide an opportunity for people to actually talk to each other and get a feel for what the other countries’ culture is like.”  
  
Claude stopped talking abruptly and pinched his nose. He groaned. “Only problem is, only about a third of Almyrans know any Fódlanic, and maybe a fifth are fluent. Those figures could be higher among merchants who do a lot of traveling, but. Fódlaners are absolutely no help. I haven’t met anyone from Fódlan who speaks Almyran.”  
  
Edelgard grimaced. Fódlan, under the church's guidance, had been very successful in cutting itself off from the rest of the world. “Well, this can still work. We’ll just have to hire people to be translators. Most of them will be Almyran, but I’d be very surprised if there were absolutely no Fódlanic scholars who have studied languages.” She picked up her quill and started taking notes: _Almyra-Fódlan Merchant’s Fair…_  
  
Claude tapped a finger on his forehead. “True, true. I can be there, of course, regardless of which country I’m representing, so that’s one less translator we’d need to hire.” He sighed and looked down at the desk full of papers. “I want this to work so badly, but after so long with the main point of contact between Fódlaners and Almyrans being the battlefield…”  
  
“If anything goes wrong, you’ll be able to smooth things over.” Edelgard jotted down a reminder to look for scholars in Fódlan who had studied Almyran.  
  
“I appreciate the vote of confidence, but I’m just one person going up against nearly a thousand years of hatred. What if this goes terribly?”  
  
Edelgard put her quill down and turned her attention back to Claude. He had his head in his hands, staring down at the desk. It was rather unusual for him to express doubt to this extent, and Edelgard wished she’d somehow predicted this insecurity so that she could have prepared something helpful to say in advance. “Then you’ll try again.”  
  
Claude leaned back in his chair. “You’re right. I haven’t come this far to give up now.” He flashed her a forced smile.  
  
Edelgard searched for something else to say. “Your perseverance is one of your best qualities. Hopefully all will go well and you won’t need to use it. And, if my presence at this event would be of any help, I’d be happy to be there.”  
  
Claude nodded and took a deep breath. “Thanks.” This time, when he smiled, the faint lines around his eyes crinkled slightly.  
  
Edelgard smiled back, hopefully reassuringly. She was tempted to pat him on the back, or hold his hand, or give him a hug, but couldn’t bring herself to do any of those things. “I believe in you and your ability to make this work. We don’t have to hash out the details right now, though. Especially if it’s stressing you out.” She made a final note, and then placed the paper on a set of wooden shelves sitting in the corner of the desk. “It’s in the to-do section, and we can come back to it tomorrow.”  
  
“Alright. I believe discussing Brigid’s independence was next on our agenda for today?”  
  
“Yes. At some point some combination of myself, Byleth, Lorenz, or you if you’re still here will need to meet with King Busilak in person to negotiate terms and finalize the agreement, but for now I’d like to see how much can be accomplished through letters. I’m planning on sending the first with Petra when she returns to Brigid in a few weeks.”  
  
“Okay.” Claude tapped his fingers on the desk. “I’m happy to let you take the lead on this. I can just read the letter over when you’re done, if you’d like.”  
  
“Yes, I’d like that.”  
  
“You did check that King Busilak speaks Fódlanic, right?”  
  
Edelgard cursed under her breath. “No, I didn’t. I discussed this with Petra at length the other day and didn’t even think to ask.”  
  
“Ah. That’s a bit unfortunate. Hopefully, since Petra didn’t say anything about it, it’s not a concern, but worst case scenario, she has to translate your letter.”  
  
Edelgard nodded. “Hopefully it’s not a concern, but if it is, I’ll be even more grateful that Petra hasn’t left yet.” Edelgard sighed and filed this mistake away for future reference as she stacked some of the papers on the desk to make room before grabbing a blank sheet.  
  
Claude was tapping his fingers on the desk again. “Yknow, it’s not the top priority at all, but I am not going to be able to stop thinking about that merchant’s fair.”  
  
“Well, in that case, I see no reason to deny yourself the work you’re motivated to do.” Edelgard knew that, unlike her, Claude would probably have no trouble remembering the details of their conversation from a few minutes ago, but she grabbed her notes on the fair and handed them to him anyway.  
  
“Thanks.”  
  
They worked in uneventful silence for about half an hour, until Edelgard’s hand bumped into the lip of her ink well and smeared ink all over her glove.  
  
She glared at the black spots on her red glove. From past experience, she knew that leaving it on meant running the risk of smudging ink onto the many documents still strewn about the desk, most of which were Claude’s. She glanced over at Claude. He was completely focused on what he was doing, writing things down and occasionally muttering to himself.  
  
Edelgard took a deep breath. It was just Claude. He knew what had happened, if only the basics, and if they were going to continue to spend a significant amount of time together it would certainly be nice if she felt comfortable enough around him to forgo the gloves. Currently, Hubert and Ferdinand were the only people at that level.  
  
She carefully tugged her glove off and surveyed the desk in front of her. It was really rather full. She slightly opened one of the drawers on her side of the desk and draped the glove over the edge of the drawer.  
  
She glanced over at Claude, who had stopped muttering and now seemed very pointedly not looking anywhere near her. Edelgard’s heart was racing and she chastised herself for feeling so nervous. She then picked up her quill again and kept writing.  
  
A few minutes later, Edelgard could feel Claude’s eyes on her. She looked up, and sure enough, he was looking at her hand. She sighed. May as well get this over with. She pulled her other glove off and pushed back her sleeves slightly.  
  
“These,” she said, holding up the inside of her wrists to show him the plethora of ropey white lines adorning them, “are from the incisions.” The scarring was particularly bad over her veins, and continued up both arms. “These,” she opened her fingers to show him the blotchy pink blemishes on her palms, “are from the spell they used to keep me still. It backfired when the crest manifested.” There were also a few smaller scars on the backs of her hands from fighting, but those were insignificant and painless in comparison.  
  
Claude looked at the scars for a moment, then met her gaze and held out both his hands, palms up, centimeters away from touching hers. “May I?”  
  
Edelgard stared at his hands for a moment, then nodded. He was apparently much braver than she was when it came to things like this.  
  
Claude took her hands in his and caressed them gently, smiling at her softly. “I cherish these hands. They’ve had much wrong done to them, but they will do right by the world.”  
  
Edelgard had no idea how to respond to that, and the sincerity in his voice had heat rising to her cheeks. She hoped in vain that it wasn’t too noticeable. Edelgard had expected some stares, maybe a question, maybe some polite condolences from Claude. Not this. She did not at all feel prepared for this. “I… thank you.”  
  
“I’ve got a few scars that I’ll have to show you at some point. It’s only fair.” Claude had the audacity to wink as he let her hands go. Edelgard was definitely blushing now.  
  
“I’ll be looking forward to it.” Oh, damnit. What was she saying? Did that even make sense? This was a disaster. Edelgard cleared her throat, turning back to the paper in front of her. “I’m almost done with this letter, and I’m not sure how exactly to sign it. I would hate for King Busilak to be confused and think the empire still exists.”  
  
“Um.” Claude ran a hand through his hair. “Could you say that you’re writing from the desk of Claude von Riegan, on behalf of the United Fódlan?”  
  
Edelgard gave him a look. “From the desk of Claude von Riegan? You think you’re very funny, don’t you.”  
  
Claude grinned. “I am very funny, thanks.”  
  
A few minutes later, Edelgard signed the letter and set it aside. With nothing else pressing to do, she found herself looking at Claude as he worked. A strand of dark hair had fallen forward over his brow, and her hand itched to reach over and push it back. Edelgard tried to put that thought out of her mind as quickly as possible. She was getting very attached to Claude, she realized, and he wasn’t going to be here for much longer.  
  
She honestly still wasn’t sure what she had done to deserve his trust. To deserve a second chance like this.  
  
Claude glanced up at her. “Is something wrong?”  
  
“No, on the contrary.” Edelgard bit her lip and considered what to say. “It’s just… this,” she gestured at the two of them, “is really unprecedented. It feels fake. Two countries fight in a war that ends with them merging into one, and then their leaders become friends and work together? Part of me is convinced I’m dreaming.”  
  
“Well, I’d say it’s a sign the world is moving in the right direction. You’re just going to have to get used to it.”  
  
“Yes, I suppose so.”  
  
“Also,” Claude grinned again. “We’re friends now? That’s really cute.”  
  
Edelgard swatted him over the head with the closest unimportant piece of paper.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed my mind about a line at the very beginning of this chapter and edited it the day after posting.  
> In general, the way the Fódlan/Almyra conflict is presented in canon as both parties being equally at fault feels very flimsy when you consider that Fódlan is the place with the authoritarian church that rewrites history to be whatever it wants and lied to Cyril and told him his homeland was a terrible place, and consider that the Empire and the Kingdom are known for their many conquering exploits (Brigid, Dagda, Sreng, etc.) Basically, Fódlan almost certainly started the first war with Almyra way back when. 
> 
> Thanks for reading, and if I ever write something that makes someone uncomfortable, even if it’s minor, please let me know if you feel up to it.


End file.
